| Title | Upgrading small wastewater treatment plants with the sequencing batch biofilter granular reactor technology: Techno-economic and environmental assessment |
| Abstract | This paper is aimed at evaluating, from a techno-economic and environmental point of view, the performance of an existing wastewater treatment plant in which the traditional biological section is upgraded with an innovative Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactor. Two scenarios were simulated in order to model and assess the performances of conventional (CAS, Conventional Activated Sludge) and innovative solutions, based on mass balances, techno-economic evaluation and environmental assessment. The results showed that converting the activated sludge process into an {SBBGR} allows to achieve a drastic reduction in sludge production (up to 75% as volatile suspended solids). Furthermore, the secondary sedimentation and sludge stabilization units can be dismissed, reducing the area requirement (up to 50%). The technical assessment is mainly positive, with the electric energy consumption being the only critical item. The higher energy demand of the upgraded plant (about 25% more than the conventional treatment) is mainly associated with the recycle flow in the {SBBGR} system. Although the economic sustainability of the upgraded plant depends on local conditions, it can be considered to be likely favourable: sludge disposal and materials & reagents costs, together with the investment for plant reconstruction are those items that should be carefully evaluated before upgrading the {CAS} plant with {SBBGR} technology. The environmental assessment shows also mostly positive results, although it points to the increased phosphorus concentration in the effluent as a potentially critical issue and it highlights the electricity use and the increased nitrous oxide generation as other matters that need to be carefully checked in real case application. |
| Source | Journal of cleaner production 148, pp. 606–615 |
| Keywords | SBBGRGranular sludgeTechno-economic assessmentEnvironmental impactsPlant upgradingSludge minimization |
| Journal | Journal of cleaner production |
| Editor | Butterworth-Heinemann,, Oxford, Regno Unito |
| Year | 2017 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.02.034 |
| Authors | Claudio Di Iaconi; Guido Del Moro; Giorgio Bertanza; Matteo Canato; Giuseppe Laera; Sara Heimersson; Magdalena Svanstrom |
| Text | 366966 2017 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.02.034 Scopus 2 s2.0 85014835697 ISI Web of Science WOS WOS 000398425700060 SBBGR Granular sludge Techno economic assessment Environmental impacts Plant upgrading Sludge minimization Upgrading small wastewater treatment plants with the sequencing batch biofilter granular reactor technology Techno economic and environmental assessment Claudio Di Iaconi; Guido Del Moro; Giorgio Bertanza; Matteo Canato; Giuseppe Laera; Sara Heimersson; Magdalena Svanstrom CNR National Research Institute, Viale De Blasio 5, 70132, Bari, Italy University of Brescia, Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, Via Branze 43, 25123, Brescia, Italy Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SE 412 96, Goteborg, Sweden This paper is aimed at evaluating, from a techno economic and environmental point of view, the performance of an existing wastewater treatment plant in which the traditional biological section is upgraded with an innovative Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactor. Two scenarios were simulated in order to model and assess the performances of conventional CAS, Conventional Activated Sludge and innovative solutions, based on mass balances, techno economic evaluation and environmental assessment. The results showed that converting the activated sludge process into an SBBGR allows to achieve a drastic reduction in sludge production up to 75% as volatile suspended solids . Furthermore, the secondary sedimentation and sludge stabilization units can be dismissed, reducing the area requirement up to 50% . The technical assessment is mainly positive, with the electric energy consumption being the only critical item. The higher energy demand of the upgraded plant about 25% more than the conventional treatment is mainly associated with the recycle flow in the SBBGR system. Although the economic sustainability of the upgraded plant depends on local conditions, it can be considered to be likely favourable sludge disposal and materials amp; reagents costs, together with the investment for plant reconstruction are those items that should be carefully evaluated before upgrading the CAS plant with SBBGR technology. The environmental assessment shows also mostly positive results, although it points to the increased phosphorus concentration in the effluent as a potentially critical issue and it highlights the electricity use and the increased nitrous oxide generation as other matters that need to be carefully checked in real case application. 148 Published version http //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095965261730238X Di Iaconi et al., 2017 Versione pubblicata dell articolo Upgrading small wastewater treatment plants with the sequencing batch biofilter granular reactor technology_ Techno economic and environmental assessment.pdf Supplementary material Supplementary material.pdf Articolo in rivista Butterworth Heinemann, 0959 6526 Journal of cleaner production Journal of cleaner production J. clean. prod. Journal of cleaner production. claudio.diiaconi DI IACONI CLAUDIO giuseppe.laera LAERA GIUSEPPE guido.delmoro DEL MORO GUIDO |
